Ah, piping hot pizza! Some folks could live on pizza alone, never eating anything else. The average American devours an amazing 23 pounds of pizza each year, and even more pizza if they live in a college dorm. And while pizza is definitely an American (and global) staple food, there are certain side items, beverages, and desserts that seem to be custom made to go with this favorite culinary treat.

Sides

Desserts

Pizza is a filling meal in itself, but adding side items to your pizza delivery order can make it even more special. The most commonly requested side items to go with pizza include:

• Salad. A simple green salad is a great accompanying side item to go with your Issaquah pizza, but you can order a more robust salad as well. From chef's salad to a plain garden salad, you can bone up on your veggies while enjoying a perfect side dish to go with your pizza.

Drinks

Many folks prefer the old stand-by drink for washing down their delicious pizza meal - soda. Soda, whether in cola, citrus, root beer, or other flavors, is an ideal beverage that can also be purchased in diet form for those who are watching their waistlines. Fruit juices are also a good choice that is a bit of a break from the norm for those who are big soda drinkers. The healthiest drink of all to have with your pizza is sparkling mineral water, which has no calories at all. For those who prefer a beverage with a bit more head to it, there's always beer, either in tap or from a bottle. And for the sophisticate on your list who wants to enjoy their pizza in true Italian style, wine in a favorite vintage can really cleanse the palette at the end of the meal. Wine a bit too much? Enjoy a wine cooler instead for fewer calories and less of a punch.

Dessert

Some say that dessert is the best part of the meal, while others say that desert is entirely overrated and that they can't afford the calories! Dessert adds a pleasant end to any meal, especially when served with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Pastry desserts like baklava are always a popular treat when eating Italian. Baklava is a golden pastry with flaky layers that are separated only by syrup and walnuts. Tiramisu is another Italian favorite. This rich cake is drenched in espresso and layered with a mousse made from mascarpone cheese and then topped off with cocoa sugar. From ice cream to cheesecake to pie, there are many desserts that fit the bill for topping off your pizza meal.

Choosing the Best Sides, Drinks and Desserts to Go With Pizza

When he's not calling out for Issaquah pizza delivery, professional designer Robert Crowley is busy decorating modern kitchens in Italian pizzeria themes while also contributing to the website, WallDecorandHomeAccents.com.

There's no better way to cap off a hearty Filipino meal than with something light and sweet for dessert. No, not ice cream or milkshakes, although those are great too-we're talking about native Filipino desserts. If you think sweets have no place in Filipino cuisine, you can't be further from the truth. From simple sugar-raised doughnuts to elaborate cakes, there's always a sweet Filipino food that's sure to satisfy that sweet tooth.

But one dessert that deserves a mention is the Filipino pastry. Although not as popular as our kakanin or rice cakes, Filipino pastries are a steady favorite in many regions. They're also a great start if you want to bake your own Filipino desserts recipes. They don't require as much attention as kakanin, but they give you just the same sweetness. Here are some of the most popular pastries in Filipino cuisine, plus some recipes to help you get started.

Desserts

Buko Pie

Pastries in Filipino Cuisine

It's hardly surprising that one of our favorite desserts comes from our top fruit export. Outside the country, buko pie is sold in pre-packed frozen slices, so we're lucky to get it here fresh and hot, not to mention cheap. It is a popular pasalubong for people who go south of Luzon, particularly to Laguna, Quezon, and Batangas. The filling is made from young coconut flesh mixed with macapuno, coconut milk, cream, and sometimes caramel. Most bakeries carry a cheaper version of the pie made from sweetened coconut juice and flour. If you feel like making your own, here's an easy recipe you can try.

Buko Pie

Ingredients:

2 c all-purpose flour

2/3 c shortening

1 egg yolk

¼ c cold water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vinegar

4 c shredded coconut meat

300ml condensed milk

2/3 c cornstarch

1 c coconut water

Procedure: Preheat your oven to about 435oF. In a bowl, combine the salt and flour and cut in the shortening until they form pea-sized pieces. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolk, water and vinegar, then add to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough is soft and pliable. Split the dough into two balls, one part a bit bigger. Roll out the bigger dough until it's slightly bigger than your pie plate. Fit into the plate and let hang over the sides. Roll out the smaller dough, then set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients and cook until thick. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, then pour into the crust. Cover with the smaller dough, seal the edges, and bake for about one hour.

Boat tarts

For a quick, cheap sugar fix, boat tarts are your best option. These are small, open pastries with a filling of caramel, ­langka (jackfruit), mango, or some other sweetened fruit. You can find them pre-packed in most groceries and cafeterias. They are a popular dessert for school lunches, mainly because they are fairly cheap and go well with most Filipino food recipes. If you can pull off a simple cake, boat tarts shouldn't be a problem.

Pili Nut Tarts

Ingredients:

1 kg all-purpose flour

½ kg ground pili nuts

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup condensed milk

1 cup ice water

Procedure: Mix the flour and sugar, and cut in the butter until they form small pea-sized balls. Slowly add in the water, stirring along the sides to help the dough hold together. Form the dough into small balls, then roll out about 1/8 inch thick. Press into tart molds and prick the sides and base with a fork. Bake the dough for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the condensed milk, sugar, and ground nuts. Pour into the baked crusts and top with pili slices. Return to the oven and bake until the filling turns golden brown.

Macaroons

Filipino macaroons are made with coconut shavings, which make them chewier than flour-based American ones. It's actually one of the easiest Filipino cooking recipes, so it's a great starter recipe for beginners. This one puts an unusual twist on the basic recipe.

Pandan Macaroons

Ingredients :

1 cup desiccated coconut

½ cup coconut cream powder

1 tsp pandan extract

¼ cup melted butter

1 ¼ cup sugar

¼ cup bread crumbs

3 eggs, separated

1 ¼ cup warm water

green food color

salt to taste

Procedure: Preheat your oven to 320oF. Grease a baking pan with butter and sprinkle a little flour to coat. In a bowl, mix the water and coconut cream powder, then set aside. Beat egg whites until they get foamy, then beat in the yolks. Combine the bread crumbs, desiccated coconut, sugar, salt, and butter. Add in the egg mixture, dissolved coconut cream, food color, and pandan extract. Mix well and pour into the pan. Spread evenly and shake down to compact the batter. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the sides are browned.

Pastries in Filipino Cuisine

Carlo Villamayor is the owner and co-author of the Filipino food [http://www.kusina.ph/] blog, Kusina.ph. A devoted cook, he makes it his personal mission to spread the joy of Filipino recipes [http://www.kusina.ph/low-fat-filipino-desserts-recipes/] with food lovers the world over. Bon appetit!

Diabetes is a disease that strikes more and more people every year, and the increase seems to only continue. This disease can lead to severe complications such as heart problems, kidney trouble, blindness, and amputation of limbs.

There is some thought that diabetes is genetic and that we may be born with a tendency for this disease. It is well known that it runs in families and women who have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at risk as well. Can we prevent or delay the onset of diabetes? Yes, here are some simple ways to allow you to avoid or delay this disease.

Eat healthy and wisely. Eating smaller portions is a great way to lose weight. You can make it look like more by using a smaller plate or a salad plate. Avoid snacking while you are cooking. Don't be tempted to eat the unfinished food to keep from throwing it away or storing it in the refrigerator. Eat breakfast every day, and make your meal and snack times regular by having them at the same time each day.

Limit your meat, poultry, and fish intake to no more than three ounces a day. In size, this is equal to about the size of a pack of cards. Another good tip is to listen to music instead of watching TV while you are eating. If you are watching TV while you are eating, you are not aware of how much you are eating and will almost always overeat.

Skip desserts and refined sugars. When eating out, have a good-sized vegetable salad to take the edge off your appetite. When you receive your entrée, share it with your dinner companion, or ask for a take-home box immediately after receiving your meal. Have meals that have been stir fried or baked.

Use low-salt broth instead of oil and butter.

Drinking a full glass of water before eating will also help reduce your appetite.

If you are eating at a fast-food restaurant, choose the healthier foods, such as grilled chicken, salads and fruits.

Increase your exercise. Next to diet, exercise is vital to a healthy body especially for diabetics. If nothing else, try walking every day or swimming at your local club. Taking walks is a nice way to keep up with your friends and an enjoyable, healthy way to take a break from work related stress. If possible, avoid the elevator and take the stairs as much as you can. You can try to march in place if you cannot get outside for some reason.

Desserts

All of these activities can help you prevent the onset of diabetes and all can improve your overall health levels. Try them!

FORMULAS AND MEASUREMENT
Bakers generally talk about formulas rather than recipes. If this sounds to you more like a chemistry lab than a food production facility, it is with good reason. The bakeshop is very much like a chemistry laboratory, both in the scientific accuracy of the procedures and in the complex reactions that take place during mixing and baking.

MEASUREMENT
Ingredients are almost always weighed in the bakeshop, rather than measured by volume, because measurement by weight is more accurate. Accuracy of measurement, as we have said, is essential in the bakeshop. Unlike home baking recipes, a professional baker's formula will not call for 6 cups flour, for example.

Desserts

To demonstrate to yourself the importance of weighing rather than measuring by volume, measure a cup of flour in two ways:
(a) Sift some flour and lightly spoon it into a dry measure. Level the top and weigh the flour.
(b) Scoop some unsifted flour into the same measure and pack it lightly. Level the
top and weigh the flour. Note the difference.No wonder home recipes can be so inconsistent!

Basics of Cake Making - Formulas and Measurements

The baker's term for weighing ingredients is scaling.
The following ingredients, and only these ingredients, may sometimes be measured by volume, at the ratio of 1 pint per pound or 1 liter per kilogram:
o Water o Milk o Eggs
Volume measure is often used when scaling water for small or mediumsized batches of bread. Results are generally good. However, whenever accuracy is critical, it is better to weigh.This is because a pint of water actually weighs slightly more than a pound, or approximately 16.7 oz. (This figure varies with the temperature of the water.)
For convenience, volume measures of liquids are frequently used when products other than baked flour goods-such as sauces, syrups, puddings, and custards-are being made.

Units of Measure
The system of measurement used in the United States is very complicated. Even those who have used the system all their lives sometimes have trouble remembering things like how many fluid ounces are in a quart and how many feet are in a mile.

The Metric System
The United States is the only major country that uses the complex system of measurement we have just described. Other countries use a much simpler system called the metric system.

In the metric system, there is one basic unit for each type of measurement:
The gram is the basic unit of weight.
The liter is the basic unit of volume.
The meter is the basic unit of length.
The degree Celsius is the basic unit of temperature.
Larger or smaller units are simply made by multiplying or dividing by 10, 100,
1000, and so on.These divisions are expressed by prefixes. The ones you need
to know are:
kilo- = 1000
deci- = 1D10 or 0.1
centi- = 1D100 or 0.01
milli- = 1D1000 or 0.001

Converting to Metric
Most people think the metric system is much harder to learn than it really is. This is because they think about metric units in terms of U.S. units. They read that there are 28.35 grams in an ounce and are immediately convinced that they will never be able to learn metrics. Do not worry about being able to convert U.S. units into metric units and vice versa. This is a very important point to remember, especially if you think that the metric system might be hard to learn. The reason for this is simple.You will usually be working in either one system or the other.You will rarely, if ever, have to convert from one to the other. (An exception might be if you have equipment based on one system and you want to use a formula written in the other.) Many people today own imported cars and repair them with metric tools without ever worrying about how many millimeters are in an inch. Similarly, if and when American bakeshops and kitchens change to the metric system, American cooks and bakers will use scales that measure in grams and kilograms, volume measures that measure in liters and deciliters, and thermometers that measure in degrees Celsius, and they will use formulas that indicate these units.They will not have to worry about how many grams are in an ounce. To become accustomed to working in metric units, it is helpful to have a feel for how large the units are.The following rough equivalents may be used to help you visualize metric units. They are not exact conversion factors.

A kilogram is slightly more than 2 lb.
A gram is about 1D30 oz. A half teaspoon of flour weighs a little less than a
gram.
A liter is slightly more than a quart.
A deciliter is slightly less than a half cup.
A centiliter is about 2 tsp.
A meter is slightly more than 3 ft.
A centimeter is about 3D8 in.
0°C is the freezing point of water (32°F).
100°C is the boiling point of water (212°F).
An increase or decrease of 1 degree Celsius is equivalent to about 2
degrees Fahrenheit.

Metric Formulas and Recipes

American industry will probably adopt the metric system someday.Many recipe writers are already eager to get a head start and are printing metric equivalents. As a result, you will see recipes calling for 454 g flour, 28.35 g butter, or a baking temperature of 191°C.No wonder people are afraid of the metric system! Kitchens in metric countries do not work with such impractical numbers, any more than we normally use figures like 1 lb 11D4 oz flour, 2.19 oz butter, or a baking temperature of 348°F.That would defeat the whole purpose of the metric system,which is to be simple and practical. If you have a chance to look at a French cookbook, you will see nice, round numbers such as 1 kg, 200 g, and 4 dL.
The metric measures in the formulas in this book are NOT equivalent to the U.S. measures given alongside them.You should think of the metric portion of the formulas as separate formulas with yields that are close to but not the same as the yields of the U.S. formulas. To give exact equivalents would require using awkward, impractical numbers. If you have metric equipment,use the metric units, and if you have U.S.equipment,use the U.S. units.You should rarely have to worry about converting between the two. For the most part, the total yield of the metric formulas in this book is close to the yield of the U.S. formulas while keeping the ingredient proportions the same. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to keep the proportions exactly the same because the U.S. system is not decimal-based like the metric system. In some cases, the metric quantities produce slightly different results due to the varying proportions, but these differences are usually extremely small.

The principle of using a baker's scale is simple: The scale must balance before setting the weights, and it must balance again after scaling. The following procedure applies to the most commonly used type of baker's scale.
1. Set the scale scoop or other container on the left side of the scale.
2. Balance the scale by placing counterweights on the right side
and/or by adjusting the ounce weight on the horizontal bar.
3. Set the scale for the desired weight by placing weights on the right side
and/or by moving the ounce weight.
For example, to set the scale for 1 lb 8 oz, place a 1-lb weight on the right side and
move the ounce weight to the right 8 oz. If the ounce weight is already over 8 oz, so
that you cannot move it another 8, add 2 lb to the right side of the scale and subtract 8
ounces by moving the ounce weight 8 places to the left. The result is still 1 lb 8 oz.
4. Add the ingredient being scaled to the left side until the scale balances.

MEASURING BY WEIGHT
A good balance scale should be accurate to 1D4 oz (0.25 oz) or, if metric, to 5 g. Dry ingredients weighing less than 1D4 oz can be scaled by physically dividing larger quantities into equal portions. For example, to scale 1D16 oz
(0.06 oz),first weigh out 1D4 oz,then divide this into four equal piles using a small knife.

For fine pastry work, a small battery-operated digital scale is often more useful than a large balance scale. A good digital scale is relatively inexpensive. It can instantly measure quantities to the nearest 1D8 oz or the nearest 2 g. Most digital scales have a zero or tare button that sets the indicated weight to zero. For example, you may set a container on the scale, set the weight to zero, add the desired quantity of the first ingredient, again set the weight to zero, add the second ingredient, and so on. This speeds the weighing of dry ingredients that are to be sifted together, for example.However, remember that careful weighing on a good scale is more accurate.

British bakers have a convenient method for measuring baking powder when small quantities are needed.They use a mixture called scone flour. To make a pound of scone flour, combine 15 oz flour and 1 oz baking powder; sift together three times.One ounce (1D16 lb) scone flour thus contains 1D16 (0.06 oz) baking powder. For each 1D16 oz baking powder you need in a formula, substitute 1 oz scone flour for 1 oz of the flour called for in the formula. In order to make formula conversions and calculations easier, fractions of ounces that appear in the ingredient tables of the formulas in this book are written as decimals.Thus,11D 2 oz is written as 1.5 oz and 1D4 oz is written as 0.25 oz.

BAKER'S PERCENTAGES
Bakers use a simple but versatile system of percentages for expressing their formulas. Baker's percentages express the amount of each ingredient used as a percentage of the amount of flour used. To put it differently, the percentage of each ingredient is its total weight divided by the weight of the flour,multiplied by 100%, or:
100% = % of ingredient

Thus, flour is always 100%. If two kinds of flour are used, their total is 100%. Any ingredient that weighs the same as the amount of flour used is also given as 100%.The cake formula ingredients listed on page 11 illustrate how these percentages are used.Check the figures with the above equation to make sure you understand them. Please remember that these numbers do not refer to the percentage of the total yield.They are simply a way of expressing ingredient proportions. The total yield of these percentage numbers will always be greater than 100%. The advantages of using baker's percentages is that the formula is easily adapted for any yield, and single ingredients may be varied and other ingredients added without changing the whole formulation. For example, you can add raisins to a muffin mix formula while keeping the percentages of all the other ingredients the same. Clearly, a percentage system based on the weight of flour can be used only when flour is a major ingredient, as in breads,cakes,and cookies.However, this principle can be used in other formulas as well by selecting a major ingredient and establishing it as 100%. In this book, whenever an ingredient other than flour is used as the base of 100%.

If you haven't checked out the latest Olive Garden restaurant specials, then you're definitely missing out. For starters, their Never Ending Pasta Bowl is back, and for only .95 you get to choose from a variety of tasty dishes, such as the newly introduced Creamy Parmesan Portobello, and the Chianti Three Meat special.

Desserts

There are over 40 pasta bowl combinations from which to choose, including 7 pastas and 6 sauces. Pastas include:

Aside from the two aforementioned sauces, the other sauces available include Alfredo, Meat sauce, Five Cheese Marinara, and regular Marinara. You can also add meatballs, Italian sausage or the new roasted chicken option for just .95 more. And, you get unlimited salad and breadsticks with your bottomless pasta bowls!

Besides the Never Ending Pasta Bowl, there are many other new and "special" things available on the OG menu. The Shrimp and Crab Tortellini Romana is brand new, and worth heading to your favorite location to try out.

New Dishes On The OG Menu

Other new entrees gracing the Specials section of the OG website include Seafood Brodetto, which consists of scallops, shrimp, and tilapia with spinach and mushrooms, simmered in a delectable white wine and marinara-saffron broth. Yum!

Parmesan Crusted Bistecca is also a new introduction to the OG menu, and features a grilled 8 ounce sirloin covered in a Parmesan-herb breading and accompanied by garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes and asparagus soaked in a balsamic glaze.

The Capellini di Mare is a deep plateful of succulent shrimp, clams, and mussels in a white wine, garlic and zesty marinara sauce. It's served on top of capellini pasta, and topped with fresh basil.

Desserts

Dessert specials at Olive Garden include the Dolcini, or "Little Dessert Treats", which lets you choose from 5 fabulous Artisanal flavors, served in a small glass. The Warm Apple Crostana features rich vanilla cream and caramelized almond biscotti; the Triple Chocolate Strata is a sumptuous Italian chocolate torta with creamy mousse, topped with an irresistible dark chocolate ganache.

Be sure to bring your appetite along and get more of the fantastic tastes of Olive Garden for your buck!

Cup cakes are a favorite treat for kids of all ages. Cupcakes can be decorated for all seasons and reasons. These are quick, easy cup cake recipe that kids can prepare with the help of an adult.

These cupcakes could always be made starting with a boxed cake mix. But where is the fun in that? With these recipes, you and the kids start from scratch and create memories as well as some delicious mouth watering treats.

Do you need Kid-Friendly Recipes? Christine Steendahl - "The Menu Mom" invites you to visit Kid Approved Meals http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com to pick up your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu designed just for children!

Pancakes are one of most popular breakfast items in the United States and in some other countries around the world. We especially enjoy having pancakes with maple syrup, and coffee. Sometimes we tend to eat them as snacks. Why do we love eating them so much, what is so special about pancakes? Some people often take pancakes for granted, and don't really know their background. What is the history behind pancakes and why are they so popular?

Here are some interesting pancake facts you may not be aware of:

Desserts

Pancakes have traditionally been eaten on shrove Tuesday, this use to be way back in days, around a 1000 years ago.

Pancakes can be found in many cultures around the world, although they might not use the same ingredients as pancakes, they are generally similar in taste and texture.

Maple syrup, which goes great with pancakes, is actually a tree sap, that comes from the maple tree, which is found mostly in the Canadian region.

The French often make a wish while turning the pancake during the cooking process, while holding a coin in the other hand.

The first recipe for pancakes were listed in the 15th century, in a English cookbook.

The world's largest pancake was cooked in Roch-dale Manchester in the year 1994, which was around 15 meters in diameter, weighed 3 tons, and had a whopping two million calories.

Pancake tossing can be considered a funny sport, one such person ran a marathon while continuously tossing a pancake for three hours.

William Shakespeare loved pancakes so much, that he mentioned them in his plays.

A fairly new trend that has emerged just recently are pancakes sandwiches.

Long time ago, before baking soda was invented, cooks often used freshly fallen snow, as a secret ingredient which contained ammonia, that made pancakes come out nice and soft.

Pancakes are often made on griddle, that is because griddle cooking is quite older than baking.

If you use baking soda along with butter milk as an ingredient for pancakes, the baking soda, will remove the acidic properties that often come with butter milk, thus a better tasting pancake.

In Europe pancakes are often eaten on easter day, as a they have a quite a significance related to easter.

Pancakes when in their original state are pour-able batter type which are made of milk, flour, butter, and eggs. Unlike breads, which tend to be semi solid.

First birthday cakes are often the most stressful part of
planning a baby's first birthday. Many new mothers want
something special and memorable, yet easy to prepare.

The problem is they're just not sure where to start. Should
you choose a cartoon character or an animal? Is a rectangle
one better, or should you go round? Well, fear not. Here are 7 easy first birthday cake tips
that will help you make the perfect cake.

Desserts

1. Make It Kid Approved -

First Birthday Cakes - 7 Tips For A Killer Cake

The first thing to keep in mind
is that you need to make the cake with the kids in mind.
Ok, so this may seem like a no-brainer, but consider what a
kid likes in a birthday cake.

Gooey and sticky are always winners. Bright colored icing is
a must. Also, keep in mind that your new baby will likely be
eating it with their hands, so something spongy will help
make it finger-friendly.

2. Make It Look Like It Can Move -

Chances are your little
one will never remember this cake. But you can make it one
they recognize and enjoy. But one-year-olds are learning
about shapes and movement. Consider decorating it with cars
or trains. Use big shapes.

3. Go Easy On The Sugar -

Your baby, as you know can have
a sensitive stomach at times. By making their cake with
less sugar, you can make sure their little tummy plays
along. One easy way to do this is to use whipped cream
instead of icing. It's easier to spread, too.

4. Two Is Better Than One -

With a first birthday [http://www.squidoo.com/firstbirthdaypartyideas], the mess is inevitable and
frankly, your baby is more likely to treat their cake like
modeling clay rather than food. But you have the guests to
consider too. So, try making two cakes, a larger one for
the guests, a small one for your baby to smash. That way
everyone gets cake and a video-opp too.

5. Use A Thin Layer Of Icing First -

Icing the cake can
make you want to cuss (bite your tongue, though). It never
seems to fail that chunks of cake get ripped off while
spreading the knife.

Two things you can do: one let the cake cool all the way.
And second, spread a real thin layer of icing first and let
it sit. This will make the second, real layer much easier to
spread. Plus it's easier to camouflage places where the cake
has peeled off.

6. Draw On It -

When cutting your sheet cake into a shape,
use icing to draw on it first. This will ensure you have
the shape you want before cutting. Plus the icing tastes
better than an ink pen (that was bad, I know).

7. Make Your Cake Number 1 -

And finally, here's an easy
way to cut your cake into the shape of a one. First, take
your sheet cake and cut it down the middle long ways. Use
one of these halves to make the "foot" and "upper lip" of
the 1. The other half will be the main body of the 1.

To do that simply cut the selected half at the 1/3 mark.
Take the 2/3's piece and place it at the bottom of the first
long piece. That's your foot. Then take the 1/3 piece, cut
it once from corner to corner, making a triangle, and use
one of these as the "upper lip." That's it. Oh, and snack on
the leftover piece.

There you go. First birthday cakes don't have to be the
Booga Bears. With some simple techniques, you can pull off
a winner very easily.